Responses to Comments from U.S. College Admission Seminar live streaming.

Today's post is a response to questions received during the 2022 online streaming college admission seminar. We hope these answers help address the queries left by our attendees in the comments section.

At A-One Institute, during our online streaming 1st and 2nd live seminars, there were many questions in the chat box. Unfortunately, we couldn't answer them all individually due to time constraints. Thus, we've created this video separately and based today's post on it.

It's crucial to maintain balance between STEM and Non-STEM subjects without leaning heavily to one side. Having AP classes in Math, Social, and Language fields allows entry into both STEM and Non-STEM majors. We recommend determining one's academic track based on past grades and considering subjects where the student performed best.

Top universities in the U.S. prefer students who are good at EC activities while doing well in difficult subjects.

It's true that AP Seminar exams are challenging, but if you can get a grade of B or higher, I encourage you to take the class. However, if you think you're going to get a C, you should consider it.

Many of my seniors have taken AP Seminar classes and gone on to good universities, and if it seems that they can get a grade of B or higher, I recommend that you take the course.

Taking both AP Seminar and AP Research and achieving scores of 3 or higher in each subject results in a certificate. Furthermore, by completing four additional AP subjects with scores of 3 or higher, students earn the AP Capstone Diploma. While AP programs have introduced the Capstone Diploma to align with the strengthened Research component of the IB program, possessing it doesn't guarantee favoritism in college admissions. However, taking multiple AP courses demonstrates academic rigor, which can benefit college applications.

Before entering 9th grade, it is important to determine whether a student is in a non-STEM or STEM program. You can look at your grades so far to determine your overall career path, and read about 3 non-STEM books during your vacation. We also recommend that you take another look at Science or Math at the Middle School level. Finding an EC that would be a special hook can be done after high school. For now, focus on finding your primary interests.

Even if a student is an aspiring liberal arts student, the university will accept it as it is because of poor grades in subjects on campus.

Even if you're in an AP science program that isn't related to your major, you're bound to get a dent in your GPA. 

If you can get a little coverage, you're getting a good score on the AP Test. It's true that retaking classes outside of school is not enough to cover your on-campus GPA. First of all, since you don't have a good GPA, it's hard to make up for it with the AP Test, but I recommend that you think that it covers your weaknesses and focus on the AP Test.

Maintaining balance in high school course selection is crucial. While choosing AP Environmental Science isn't problematic, it doesn't necessarily stand out. While it's not disadvantageous, considering AP Bio or Chem could provide a stronger academic profile.

You can follow the research your school is doing, but it is recommended that you enrich your research through outside activities on similar topics. It is recommended that the topic be similar to the one held on campus and expanded to include participation in external science fairs/contests or real-world applications. It is efficient to choose a similar topic so as not to waste a lot of time. If you combine your on- and off-campus activities, your skills will improve amazingly and become your strength.

Many parents question whether to prioritize activities like Marching Band over academics. Colleges assess the balance between extracurricular activities and academic commitments. Demonstrating the ability to excel in academics alongside demanding extracurricular activities like Marching Band can showcase your capabilities effectively.

Junior ROTC demands significant time commitment but demonstrates leadership and teamwork skills, making it a valuable activity. Participation is recommended if feasible.

While Writing Competitions like Scholastic and Young Arts may seem challenging during the semester, It is possible to have a two-hour class once a week, write an article once on the weekend, and then discuss it with the teacher and then revise it for a few weeks, so I would say that it is possible to prepare well during the semester.

Unweighted GPA doesn't consider subject weighting, while Weighted GPA does. It reflects higher scores in challenging subjects, typically exceeding a 4.0 scale. Colleges consider both, but the method of calculating Weighted GPA varies between schools. Most universities convert it to a 5.0 scale for consistency.One thing to keep in mind is that you will only get good grades in difficult subjects to increase your Weighted GPA and Unweighted GPA, so I hope you will prepare a little harder for the difficult subjects.

In the IB program, students take one subject from each of the six categories and take three HL (High Level) and three SL (Standard Level) courses and pass the Diploma. If you want to be competitive, we recommend taking the IB Diploma. If you want to express your interest in a specific area, you can take at least 4 HLs, but I personally think that 3 HLs and 3 SLs are sufficient in the IB program. If you want to put special emphasis on a particular area, I would say take the AP exam. It can be a way to show your strengths and not burn out.

The video was made in early August, and the student who said he is going up to 12th grade has about three months left. It feels a bit far-fetched to decide something and do it in 3 months, so it's better to complete the ECs you've done so far rather than starting anew. Or it is more efficient to complete the essay in the time you have left.

The question is whether it would be negative to approach STEM research while applying for a non-STEM program, but I would say that it depends.

If you show STEM Research in a situation where there are various other ECs besides STEM research, it is not so negative, but if you take STEM Research alone in a situation where there are no non-STEM ECs, it may not be advantageous. 

If you have enough EC in relation to non-STEM, it can be a strength. 

Most students who come to the U.S. late take the SAT English part. I'm struggling because I don't score well in the ACT reading part. There are many people who have similar concerns, but it is better to take a look at the Placement Test and make a decision rather than preparing right away just because you are in a hurry. In general, if you don't get SAT English 550/ACT 25, it's a good idea to go all-in on your English studies, get them to a certain level, and then work your way up to a few months and get a score in a short amount of time. If you scored higher than 550 on the SAT English/ACT 25, it is better to study for a short time and finish it efficiently. In other words, you can judge by looking at the mock test rather than deciding the timing.

If you pass the Early Entrance Exam in December, you don't actually need to take the AP exam in May of the following year. 

However, if you receive a conditional pass (such as giving a midyear report or reporting your AP test scores later), you will have to work hard until the end, so you can make a decision based on those conditions.

We posted today in response to a question from the last college admissions seminar. Thank you.